Pick Your Favorite Action Movies To Get A Famous Wifey
- by Dylan Dembrow
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Action movies are continuously some of the biggest movies of the year. Just this year, the five highest-grossing in the movies to date have fallen into the action genre. These include Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Incredibles 2, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and Deadpool 2 (Box Office Mojo). This is far from a new trend, with audiences long going to the theaters to enjoy some much-needed thrills.
Of course, the action genre is extremely broad and can encompass any number of sub-genres. Just because two movies are action-packed, doesn’t mean they’re anything alike. Just look no further than this year’s Incredibles 2 and Deadpool 2 and one will see that the action and comedy of these two movies are targeted to very different audiences. Though that doesn't mean that someone can't enjoy both.
So let’s take a look at some of the biggest and most influential action movies of all time and pick out some favorites. These will include everything from the highest grossing movies of all time with Avatar, to some lesser known action gems such as Point Break and Escape from New York. Simply pick or pass on these action classics to reveal which female celebrity just might make the best wife!
Gladiator
Originally released on May 5th of 2000, Gladiator follows a Roman general who is thrown into a life of entertainment and forced to compete as a gladiator in the Colosseum. The film was directed by Ridley Scott and stars Russell Crowe in the leading role of Maximus Decimus Meridius. Gladiator went on to win Best Picture of the Year (Wikipedia).
John Wick
This 2014 film follows a retired hitman who returns to his life of crime after a number of a number of men bring about the demise of his dog. The film stars Keanu Reeves in the title role. John Wick spawned a 2017 sequel, and a third film in the series is set for a 2019 release (Wikipedia).
Mad Max: Fury Road
Serving as a reboot to the Mad Max series, Fury Road was released in 2015 and this time found Tom Hardy suiting up for the titular role. The film is set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where water is scarce and what few resources remain are controlled by the tyrannical Immortan Joe (Wikipedia).
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
After co-writing and directing the first Terminator film, which was released in 1984, James Cameron went on to helm the sequel, which was originally released in 1991. Terminator 2: Judgment Day was a massive critical and commercial success, which went on to gross over half a billion dollars worldwide (Wikipedia).
Black Panther
After making his debut two years earlier in Captain America: Civil War, Chadwick Boseman returned to the role of T’Challa for this 2018 film. Black Panther was the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to feature a person of color in the title role, and the result was a film that grossed well over a billion dollars worldwide (Wikipedia).
Lethal Weapon
This buddy cop film found Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as two LAPD detectives working together despite their drastically different personalities. The film was written by Shane Black, who would later go on to write and direct his fair share of other action comedies, including The Nice Guys and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Wikipedia).
Face/ Off
This John Woo film follows an FBI agent and a criminal as they are forced to swap faces. Despite the film’s bizarre premise, Face/Off was largely met with positive reviews. The film went on to gross nearly a quarter billion dollars against an $8 million budget. It was also nominated for an Academy Award (Wikipedia).
Speed
This 1994 film follows an LAPD police officer, played by Keanu Reeves, as he boards a bus that is rigged to explode should it drop below 50 miles per hour. Sandra Bullock and Dennis Hopper filled out the rest of the main cast, and Speed went on to be both a critical and commercial success (Wikipedia).
Leon: The Professional
This 1994 film follows a hitman who takes in a young child after the unfortunate loss of her family. Leon: The Professional stars Jean Reno as the title character, while a young Natalie Portman appears as the 12-year-old Mathilda. The action film is now considered a cult classic by many (Wikipedia).
Atomic Blonde
Based on the 2012 graphic novel The Coldest City, Atomic Blonde was released last year to critical and commercial success. The film stars Charlize Theron in the main role of a spy who is working in Germany during the collapse of the Berlin Wall. A sequel is currently in development (Wikipedia).
Baby Driver
This 2017 action film follows a young getaway driver, played by Ansel Elgort, who wishes to escape from his life of crime after falling in love with a waitress. Baby Driver earned the respect of many critics, achieving a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes while grossing over $226 million worldwide (Wikipedia).
The Fifth Element
This 1997 sci-fi film stars Bruce Willis as Korben Dallas, a taxi cab driver who stumbles upon an alien named Leeloo, who may be the key to saving all of life on Earth (Wikipedia). The film was both criticized and praised for its off-beat tone, which has earned The Fifth Element a 71% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Wonder Woman
Released in June of last year, this superhero film found Gal Gadot reprising her role as Diana Prince/ Wonder Woman after making her debut the year earlier in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Wonder Woman was greeted with both critical and commercial acclaim, and the sequel is now set for a 2020 release (Wikipedia).
Mission: Impossible — Fallout
The latest installment of the Mission: Impossible series, Fallout was released earlier this year to critical acclaim, earning it a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film once again found Tom Cruise suiting up to play IMF agent Ethan Hunt alongside a number of other series’ regulars, including Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg (Wikipedia).
Captain America: Civil War
Though it may bear the Captain America title, Civil War also focused on a number of other key players in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film chronicles the fracturing of the Avengers — with Captain America heading up one side and Iron Man heading up the other. The film was greeted with massive critical and commercial success (Wikipedia).
Black Hawk Down
This 2001 film chronicles the real-life story of a U.S. raid that occurred in Mogadishu nearly a decade before its release. The film was directed by Ridley Scott and featured a massive cast, which was headed up by Josh Hartnett and Eric Bana, among others. Black Hawk Down went on to win two Academy Awards (Wikipedia).
Beverly Hills Cop
This 1984 action comedy follows a Detroit cop who travels to the upscale Beverly Hills to investigate the mysterious loss of his friend. The film stars Eddie Murphy in the lead role of Axel Foley, a part that he would reprise in two sequels. Beverly Hills Cop grossed over $315 million worldwide (Wikipedia).
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The second installment of the massively successful trilogy, The Two Towers was released in 2002 to critical and commercial acclaim. The film featured one of the most action-packed sequences of the series with the Battle of Helm’s Deep, which has since been considered one of the greatest cinematic battles of all time (Wikipedia).
The Matrix
The first installment of the massively successful Matrix trilogy was released back in 1999, where it featured some cutting-edge special effects which would go on to heavily influence the action genre. The film stars Keanu Reeves as a computer hacker who discovers that reality as we know it is not what it seems (Wikipedia).
300
Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller and inspired by the true story, 300 follows an army of Spartans who refuse to surrender to the army of Xerxes despite being massively outnumbered. The film was directed by Zack Snyder, who filmed 300 almost exclusively in front of blue screens to remain faithful to the comic (Wikipedia).
Con Air
This 1997 film follows a group of convicts who are being transported to a new facility via plane when the aircraft is taken over. Con Air featured an A-list cast, headed up by Nicholas Cage as Cameron Poe, a family man who is getting parole when he gets caught up in the riot of his fellow inmates (Wikipedia).
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Based on the Disney ride, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was released in 2003, and the action-adventure film would go on to spawn one of the most successful film franchises of all time. Here, Johnny Depp made his debut as Captain Jack Sparrow — a performance which earned him an Oscar nomination (Wikipedia).
The Dark Knight
A sequel to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight found the Caped Crusader facing off against his most infamous foe from the comics: the Joker. The film was met with critical and commercial acclaim, with many calling it the greatest comic book movies of all time. The Dark Knight grossed over a billion dollars worldwide (Wikipedia).
Top Gun
Released in 1986, this action film follows a group of elite Navy pilots training in Southern California. Tom Cruise starred as the film’s lead with his portrayal of Lt. Pete Mitchell, better known as Maverick. A long-awaited sequel starring Cruise is currently in the works with a 2020 release date (Wikipedia).
Avatar
After Titanic held the record of highest-grossing movie of all time, writer/ director James Cameron went and outdid himself with 2009’s Avatar — which continues to remain the highest grossing movie ever made. A number of sequels are currently in the works, with the first set for 2020 release (Wikipedia).
Point Break
This 1991 action film directed by Kathryn Bigelow follows a young FBI agent who decides to go undercover with a group of surfers after he’s convinced that the group may be responsible for a number of bank robberies. Though the film wasn’t as big as some other ‘90s action movies, it’s since regarded as a cult classic (Wikipedia).
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The first film in the Indiana Jones series — and the second chronologically — Raiders of the Lost Ark find the beloved archeologist/ explorer tracking down the ancient Biblical artifact before the Germans can get their hands on it. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Harrison Ford as the iconic hero (Wikipedia).
The Expendables
Featuring a large cast of stars who are known for their action movies, The Expendables is a 2010 film that was co-written and directed by Sylvester Stallone. Stallone also stars as the lead character, Barney Ross, who appears alongside Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Bruce Willis, just to name a few (Wikipedia).
Skyfall
This 2012 James Bond film finds the spy down on his luck, as he begins to lose his edge and may finally have met his match with the new series new villain, Raoul Silva, a former MI6 operative. Skyfall went on to be the second highest-grossing film the year of its release, with a worldwide box office over $1.1 billion (Wikipedia).
Escape from New York
This 1981 action film is set in a future where Manhattan Island has been converted into a giant prison for the entire country. Escape from New York follows Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell, as he is tasked with going on a rescue mission inside the facility in order to earn his freedom (Wikipedia).
Men in Black
This 1997 action comedy found Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones teaming up as two members of the mysterious organization which is tasked with trying to keep all alien life hidden from humanity. The film was a massive critical and commercial success, grossing over $598 million worldwide and spawning two sequels (Wikipedia).
Minority Report
Loosely based on the short story by Philip K. Dick, this 2002 film finds Tom Cruise playing Chief John Anderton, a cop who is tasked with arresting criminals based on events which haven’t happened yet. But things grow extremely complicated when his name comes up as a future offender (Wikipedia).
King Kong
After completing work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, writer/ director Peter Jackson set out to remake one of his all-time favorite films with King Kong. The 2005 feature has an all-star cast, featuring Naomi Watts, Jack Black, and Adrien Brody, while Andy Serkis used motion capture to portray the mighty ape (Wikipedia).
Sin City
Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, Sin City follows a group of intersecting stories that take place in the eponymous location. To create a look that was very much aligned with the source material, Robert Rodriguez largely filmed the movie in front of green screens while keeping the majority of the film in black and white (Wikipedia).
Braveheart
This 1995 Best Picture of the Year Winner follows the story of William Wallace, a Scottish warrior who leads a revolt against the King of England, who is seeking to control their lands. The film was directed by Mel Gibson, who won an Oscar not only for Best Picture but Best Director as well (Wikipedia).
Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz is a tribute to the action genre while very much becoming a worthy entry in its own right. The 2007 film found director Edgar Wright teaming up with stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost after their success on previous projects. Hot Fuzz would ultimately become the most successful installment of their Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy (Wikipedia).
Kingsman: The Secret Service
This 2014 film drew inspiration from the comic series The Secret Service, which originally ran from 2012 to 2013. The film was co-written and directed by Matthew Vaughn, and Kingsman went on to gross over $414 million worldwide. A sequel was released in September of last year with a third film in the works (Wikipedia).
Troy
Drawing inspiration from Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, Troy follows the events of the Trojan War, which finally ends with the fall of the titular city. The film stars Brad Pitt in the leading role of Achilles, the mythic warrior who was brought down by an arrow in the ankle (Wikipedia).
Inception
This 2010 sci-fi film follows a group of thieves who find work infiltrating the dreams of others. While they are usually tasked with extracting information, this job in particular finds them trying to implant it — which proves to be a much more difficult and dangerous endeavor. Inception went on to gross over $828 million worldwide (Wikipedia).
Taken
This 2008 film found Liam Neeson suiting up to play Bryan Mills, a former CIA agent who must spring into action when his daughter is taken during a trip abroad. The film redefined Neeson as an action star, and Taken went on to spawn two successful sequels, released in 2012 and 2014 (Wikipedia).
